


Reset

by energie_vie



Series: World looking in [2]
Category: The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Arguing, Established Relationship, F/M, Fights, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love, M/M, Mentioned Andy & Quynh, Mild Language, Mirrored relationships, Nile and Booker are so alike, POV Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Post-Movie: The Old Guard (2020), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:27:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28898139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/energie_vie/pseuds/energie_vie
Summary: " 'Mhm,' Nile smiles. 'I remember. We should've done the same thing tonight, you guys didn't need to witness our idiocy. Fuck, did I overreact! It was just a stupid joke but he just wouldn't stop and it made me so angry, you know?''I know,' Nicky murmurs. 'Stupid jokes that become too elaborate usually turn into serious arguments.' "---When Nile and Booker announce they're going out for the night, Nicky is delighted that he and Joe will have the house to themselves and envisions a lovely, romantic evening. Sadly, things don’t go according to plan - Nile and Booker get into a fight and come home early, which leads to quality bonding, a short trip down memory lane for Nicky and a future naughty retribution.
Relationships: Booker | Sebastien le Livre & Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Booker | Sebastien le Livre/Nile Freeman, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Nile Freeman & Nicky | Nicolo di Genoa
Series: World looking in [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117901
Comments: 22
Kudos: 107





	Reset

**Author's Note:**

> I think I've got the hang of Nicky’s voice. I think. And hope, because I'm starting to really like looking at Nile and Booker's relationship through someone else's eyes.
> 
> Speaking of which, this was partly inspired by a fragment of conversation in the Boof of Nile chat on Tumblr. Also, as far as these two are concerned, we're still in the same universe as the [Gooey](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983568) series.
> 
> And that's about it, the title is all mine (I know it's just a word, but I came up with it all by my little self).

There's something about Lisbon that makes Nicky restless. In a good way. Giddy would actually be a better word. It's one of the few cities in the world that he and Joe return to every chance they get, which is to say at least twice a century and it's been this way since the early 1200s. 

Nile and Booker love it too, though for them it holds a different meaning. Nicky still doesn't know _what_ exactly happened that night all those years ago but unlike Joe, he's perfectly fine with remaining in the dark for the rest of his existence. All he knows is that they had gone out as friends who had occasionally been throwing longing glances at each other and the next day, there were fucking fireworks flying between them. 

There's something about Lisbon indeed and Nicky doesn't really understand how Andy and Quynh can be immune to its energy.

'It's stuffy, Nicky,' Andy had complained.

'You can find us in Cascais when you feel like lounging in the sand,' Quynh had added and that had been the end of the discussion.

So it's just the four of them in their Airbnb flat in Belém and to Nicky's delight, Nile and Booker had made plans to hit the town. Some sort of throwback to their first night out just the two of them, which probably means they won't be back till dawn. It also means he and Joe have the place all to themselves.

Nicky has so many things in mind for the evening. A lovely home-cooked dinner, complete with candles and Port wine and jazz music in the background. Some slow dancing after dessert. A bubble bath, followed by a long massage. Then-

'We can skip dinner and jump directly to the bubble bath, you know,' Joe chuckles from his right and Nicky realizes he's holding a potato in one hand and the peeler in the other but he'd just been staring blankly at the backsplash.

He hasn't told Joe anything about his plans for the night but he's not really surprised by how easily he's guessed them. The man knows him like the back of his hand. Nicky loves it.

'We do need to eat, my heart,' he says mildly.

'I never said anything about not eating,' Joe grins naughtily and Nicky shakes his head.

'Food, Joe. Food.'

'Then stop fantasizing about the massage and get on with the potatoes. The sooner we eat, the faster we can move to more.. compelling activities.'

A little over an hour later, Joe takes the first bite of his dessert and lets out a throaty moan, eyes closed in utter delight.

'Mm, this is pure decadence, my love. You spoil me,' he winks, tongue darting out to slowly wet his lips.

Nicky feels drunk all of a sudden and the wine has very little to do with it. In the candlelight Joe glows and all Nicky wants is to tangle his fingers in his curls and bite hard on his lower lip. He wants to grab Joe by the shirt and smash him against the wall and press himself to his body as close as possible. He wants to clear the table with one sweep of the hand, bend Joe over it and-

'I'm guessing we're skipping the bubble bath.'

Joe's voice is all velvety and Nicky chuckles softly, releasing the napkin he'd bunched up in his fist.

'Is it that obvious?' he replies languidly.

'The intention? Yes. The details, not quite. So,' Joe murmurs, placing his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his crossed hands, 'tell me the scenario.'

'Haven't decided between that wall over there,' Nicky says casually, 'or this table.'

Joe swallows audibly and then takes a deep breath.

'Do I have any say in it?'

'Not really,' Nicky smirks, reaching for one of Joe's hands.

He grabs it and uses it to pull Joe closer, leaning painfully slowly to capture his mouth. He tastes like pineapple and wine and it's so sweet it's intoxicating. Screw the bubble bath, some other time. He's still pondering whether to just push everything on the table to the floor, subsequent mess be damned, when there's the unmistakable sound of a key turning in the door.

Nicky pulls back, frowning confusedly at Joe, who's sporting an eerily identical expression.

Nile comes into view first, radiating anger and eyes narrowed to slits.

'We're really sorry for interrupting!' she says, struggling to soften her tone and not really succeeding. 'Don't mind us, we'll be in our room, just pretend we're not here.'

'At least for the first few minutes, until she decides to yell some more,' Booker quips from the shadows.

Nile wheels around looking positively murderous and for a split second Nicky actually considers hiding all the knives.

'I'd keep my mouth shut, if I were you. You've been enough of an idiot for one evening and my patience is wearing thin.'

As she stomps down the hall to their bedroom, Nicky thinks it's the first time he's heard that cold voice directed at Booker. Joe's widened eyes serve as confirmation. Nile is not pissed off. Pissed off has happened before and it never looks like this. She is absolutely furious.

Booker comes into the frame, both hands rubbing his face. He looks remorseful and angry at the same time, which again, is a new combination. Usually it's either one or the other.

'I'm sorry we killed the mood,' he says quietly, gesturing towards the candles.

Joe waves his hand dismissively and accompanies it with a small smile. Booker offers a sad one in return and then heads for the bedroom.

'Ok, in all honesty, I fucking hate them, they did fucking kill the mood!' Joe whisper-shouts, banging his fist against the table.

It lands on his fork, which gets propelled all the way to the kitchen counter. Nicky laughs and hands him his own fork.

'Try again, it might end up in the sink,' he grins, prompting Joe to guffaw.

'I love you!'

'I love you too!' Nicky says tenderly. 'Now, five hundred says we hear a loud moan within the next ten minutes.'

'I don't think so, Nicky,' Joe shakes his head seriously.

'Oh, come on, it wouldn't even be the first time. They shout at each other like idiots and then they end up fucking like horny teenagers with half their clothes still on.'

'I really didn’t need to visualize that,' Joe grimaces. 'I know what you're saying, but this time it feels different.'

'Why the fuck would you even _say_ something like that?' Nile's voice resounds through the entire flat.

Nicky looks at his watch. Booker knows her too well, not even three minutes have passed and she's already yelling. When he lifts his eyes to meet Joe's, the latter has both eyebrows raised in a _told you_ kind of way.

'I don't care! I've been hearing this same old shit for years and I'm-'

'I was just kidding!' Booker roars across her.

'Well isn't that the most convenient excuse.'

'What the fuck is that supposed to mean?'

There's silence for a couple of seconds, then Booker's incredulous voice.

'What? I don't wanna call it quits! What the fuck?!'

'Then stop acting like it!'

'I'm not- You're out of your fucking mind!'

Silence again, longer this time.

'Get out! GO!'

'You were right,' Nicky mouths, just as the bedroom door opens and closes with a loud thud.

There's the sound of something hitting the wall, followed by a hiss and a litany of expletives that crescendos in intensity, culminating in a loud _fuck_. Nicky and Joe exchange a look and despite not uttering a single word, Nicky knows they've come to a silent understanding. He also knows sex is going to have to wait, unfortunately.

Booker is still mumbling under his breath when he gets to the living room. He's flexing and unflexing his left hand and goes directly to the kitchen sink to wash the blood off. Punching a wall is never a good idea. Nicky would know, he's done it a couple of times himself over the years.

'Have you seen the car keys?' Booker asks quietly.

'On the piano,' Joe says seriously.

Booker's lips twitch in a tentative smile. There _is_ no piano in the flat but this is one of their stupid jokes and it never fails to amuse both of them.

'I think I left them on the coffee table. Go put your shoes on, I'll get them and then we can go.'

Booker frowns, then shakes his head.

'It's enough we've ruined your evening, you're not coming anywhere.'

'That's _exactly_ why I'm coming, you cockblocker!'

'Joe..'

'It's not up for debate. Now go.'

Booker smiles a grateful smile and Nicky feels like rolling his eyes - the idiot still thinks he deserves so little. It makes Nicky want to beat some sense into him, which might not actually be a bad idea.

'But talking about it is the last thing I want,' he adds in that same quiet voice.

'Believe me, hearing you _whine_ is the last thing I want, too,' Joe smirks.

Booker flips him off, then goes to put his shoes on. Joe shakes his head, turns to Nicky and grins.

'See you in half an hour. Plenty of time for you to decide between the wall and the table,' he winks cheekily.

After the front door closes Nicky is left with Ella and Louis and his own thoughts, most of which revolve around a naked Joe, splayed invitingly on their bed. The wall and the table will have to wait. He blows the candles, drains Joe's glass of wine and starts clearing the table, all the while humming under his breath.

As he hits the chorus of _Cheek to Cheek_ , he hears a door open slowly and footsteps hesitantly approaching. He's in the midst of doing the dishes, which is most fortunate. If Nile decides to slip back quietly in their room, he'll pretend he hadn't heard her.

'Where's Seb?' she asks hoarsely after a couple of moments.

'Out for a drive with Joe,' Nicky replies, turning to face her and leaning against the kitchen counter.

Nile sighs defeatedly and sits down at the table, head held in both hands.

'I'm so sorry, Nicky, we didn't mean to ruin your evening.'

'You didn't ruin anything, dearest,' he says gently. 'May I interest you in some wine?' he then grins, placing the bottle in the middle of the table and pulling a clean glass from the cupboard.

'I guess,' she sighs again. 'But talking about it is the last thing I want.'

'Those are the exact words Booker used,' Nicky chuckles. 'You two are scarily alike.'

Nile smiles, eyes gone soft and her entire expression shifts before Nicky's eyes. She looks like she might be seconds away from crying, so he pours her a glass of wine and then waits. No tears come. Completely expected, only Booker has ever seen her cry and Nicky’s willing to bet that hasn't happened very often either.

Nile takes a deep breath, followed by a sip of wine. Her index finger circles the rim of the glass and she seems to be lost in thought, so Nicky gets up and goes to the sink to finish the rest of the dishes.

'He made a stupid joke,' she says out of the blue, startling him.

'I see,' he replies, then falls quiet.

'He made a stupid joke,' she says again, as if she were thinking out loud, 'about how he hopes a new immortal would be more suitable or some shit like that and I fucking lost it. I think I overreacted a bit, but he looked so serious and he kept ploughing on about timing and choices and- It was just a joke but it fucking hit all the sore spots. I told him that he's using it as an excuse to end things.'

'I know. We heard,' Nicky says gently, once again leaning against the counter.

Nile groans, dragging both hands over her face and Nicky thinks he hadn't exaggerated the tiniest bit when he'd said they're scarily alike. Just like Booker, she looks both remorseful and angry at the same time. It's quite disconcerting.

'You shouldn't have heard that,' she sighs tiredly.

'Yeah, I know how much you guys hate arguing with an audience. Remember your first honeypot, how you left for a drive because you didn't want to fight in the safehouse?' Nicky chuckles.

'Mhm,' Nile smiles. 'I remember. We should've done the same thing tonight, you guys didn't need to witness our idiocy. Fuck, did I overreact! It was just a stupid joke but he just wouldn't stop and it made me so angry, you know?'

'I know,' Nicky murmurs. 'Stupid jokes that become too elaborate usually turn into serious arguments.'

_'Oh, he's handsome alright! You have very good taste, my heart!' Yusuf says seriously, squeezing his hand._

_'Who's handsome?'_

_'Now, now, don't be coy, you've been stealing glances at him all evening.'_

_'What are you talking about?'_

_'The innkeeper's son. Pretty little thing and he's been eyeing you ever since we sat down at this table. I bet he wouldn't refuse a night in our bed if we asked him nicely,' Yusuf winks and Nicolò feels a chasm form in his chest._

_'Are you actually serious?'_

_'Maybe. I mean, it would definitely spice things up a little.'_

_'I take it they're not spicy enough for you?' Nicolò snaps, letting go of Yusuf’s hand._

_'I didn't say that,' Yusuf mutters defensively. 'I just-'_

_'You just what? Are you getting tired of me, is that what you're trying to say?' he raises his voice, recoiling when Yusuf tries to reach for him._

_'Nico, no, I was just joking, I-'_

_'Well, I'm not laughing and neither are you, so I don't know for whose benefit it was supposed to be!' he barks, abruptly getting up from the table._

_'Nico..'_

_'I want to be alone right now!'_

'-don't want him to sleep on the couch, ok?'

Nile's voice hauls him out of his memory and Nicky realises he's missed the first part of her sentence.

'I'm sorry, what?'

'Did I send you down memory lane?' she snickers.

Nicky just shrugs and grins.

'I said I was going to bed and I asked you to please make sure he joins me, I don't want him to sleep on the couch.'

Nicky raises both eyebrows and he must look both confused and surprised because Nile carries on.

'My mom and dad would sometimes argue. You know, as married couples do,' she giggles. 'Not once did they sleep separately after a fight. I asked her about it once, she said that going to bed angry is not a good idea and sleeping separately only makes it worse. I actually went and googled it afterwards,' she laughs. 'Something about the whole thing ending up in the long-term memory area, which makes a lasting impression and intensifies the anger.'

'That makes perfect sense,' he smiles.

'Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. Sorry again for messing up your plans.'

'Don't worry, dearest, the night is still young,' he replies, wiggling his eyebrows.

Ella and Louis are still singing. _April in Paris_ , so the album is coming to an end. Nicky adds Nina Simone to the queue, picks a random book from the shelf and gets lost in the words on the page.

A while later, the sound of the key brings him back to the present. He doesn't know how much time has passed but he's glad Joe's home. He's also glad Booker seems to be in better spirits. He doesn't look angry anymore, just remorseful.

'Did you guys have fun?' Nicky asks with a wide smile.

'Heaps,' Joe deadpans.

'I'm sorry, we shouldn't have come home, we messed up your plans,' Booker says sheepishly and Nicky wonders if he and Nile script their sentences in advance.

'Don't fret,' Joe says and even though he looks dead serious, his eyes are smiling.

'By the way, Nile said she doesn't want you sleeping on the couch.'

Nicky watches in amusement as Booker's entire expression morphs into one of unbridled delight. He looks so hopelessly in love and he lets out a blissful sigh, making Joe groan and roll his eyes.

'You lovesick fuck!' Joe laughs, punching his shoulder.

'I wasn't going to, anyway. Sleeping separately after a fight is the worst thing you can do,' Booker says wisely.

Nicky stares at him, mentally facepalming himself. He's now convinced _this_ had been scripted beforehand.

'Granted, I was prepared to have to beg my way back into bed, but I should've remembered we're always on the same page,' Booker adds, finishing on another sickeningly cute sigh and looking vaguely at nothing in particular.

'You're so sappy it's fucking nauseating!' Joe says good-naturedly. 'Now go away,' he adds, chuckling at Booker who all but skips down the hall.

'Idiots,' Nicky mutters ruefully.

'We probably used to be like that, too,' Joe smiles lovingly.

Nicky smiles back and he's suddenly reminded of what he told Nile not thirty minutes ago: the night is still young. He lets his eyes rake all over Joe's body, biting his lower lip and drumming his fingers on the table. Joe notices and throws him a smouldering look, slowly licking his lips.

'So, have you decided?' he murmurs, voice all warm and husky.

Nicky opens his mouth to reply but he doesn't manage to utter a single word before he's rudely interrupted.

'Oh, god, Seb!' Nile's voice rings clearly from behind their closed door.

'Are you fucking kidding me?!' Joe exclaims.

'I don't know what you expected, to be honest,' Nicky shrugs.

'A quiet night in with no interruptions?'

'Such is life,' Nicky shrugs again. 'How about we go for a drive?'

'We're not having sex in the car!' Joe pouts, crossing his arms.

'Of course not. But if we play our cards right, they'll be asleep by the time we return and we both know I can be a lot louder than Nile.'

'Mm, devious _and_ naughty, my favourite combo,' Joe grins.

'Wait till I get you naked,' Nicky winks.

Yeah, it's going to be so much fun. Plenty of hours left till dawn.

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find me on [Tumblr](https://energievie.tumblr.com/) if you wanna say hi 😬💜


End file.
